Africa and Beyond co-owner Ian Allen poses with an Ethiopian shield, Ugandan milk vessel, Zulu pail and Tuareg passport bag similar to those featured in the Marvel film ‘Black Panther.’

Africa and Beyond co-owner Ian Allen poses with an Ethiopian shield, Ugandan milk vessel, Zulu pail and Tuareg passport bag similar to those featured in the Marvel film ‘Black Panther.’

'Black Panther' stars La Jollan artifacts

The new superhero movie “Black Panther,” produced by Marvel Studios and Walt Disney Pictures, stars artifacts purchased by set designers from La Jolla’s Africa and Beyond gallery at 1250 Prospect St.

“I was quite impressed with the pieces they bought from me,” said Ian Allen, who owns the gallery with his wife, Julie. “They were actually buying good pieces. I thought, ‘That’s interesting that they’re going to that extreme to make things authentic.’”

Among the pieces sold were Ethiopian shields, Ugandan milk vessels, Zulu pails and Tuareg passport bags.

Allen says he was sworn to secrecy since the purchase was made in November 2016.

“They told us not to let anyone know Marvel’s making a movie with the Black Panther character,” he said. “It was being filmed in Atlanta, so we shipped things out there and then they ordered more stuff from our website.”

Allen jokes that he wishes now that he had loaned out the artifacts instead of selling them, because “if they had given them back to me, I could make more money on them — as seen in the movie ‘Black Panther!’”

LimeBike leaves sour taste with merchants

LimeBike canceled a much-anticipated presentation at the La Jolla Village Merchants Association meeting scheduled for Wednesday, March 14.

Addressing business owners and members of the public gathered at the Riford Library for an in-person audience with the bike-sharing company, LJVMA executive director Sheila Fortune said: “LimeBike emailed me a couple of hours ago and canceled their presentation due to, quote, an emergency. So, don’t know what that means, don’t know why, but it was an emergency.”

La Jolla residents and businesses have been up in arms about share bikes and scooters since they began rolling out in February. The dockless vehicles are frequently ditched in the middle of sidewalks and, sometimes, even streets with no responsibility accepted by the companies who rent them.

Sally Miller of La Jolla Parks and Beaches, Inc. was bitterly disappointed at not being able to get her questions answered, so she fired them off at Fortune anyway.

“Only the people who own the bikes are benefiting financially?” Miller asked. (Yes, Fortune replied.)

“The City’s not getting anything for the clutter?” (No.)

“For giving up our sidewalks to these things, we’re not going to benefit in any way?” (No.)

According to Fortune, LimeBike, ofo and several other bike- and scooter-sharing companies presented business plans to the City Attorney’s office and Development Services Department and were apparently told that all they needed was a business license.

“No one ever consulted the communities, Economic Development, anyone else on what that means, what that looks like, or how it’s going to affect our public right-of-way,” Fortune said, adding: “No one is allowed on our public right-of-way without permits, and I give the permits, and they haven’t come to me.”

For next month’s LJVMA meeting, Fortune said she would “try to have more representation from the other vendors.”

When asked what emergency caused LimeBike to cancel its presentation, a spokesperson declined to answer the question and responded with an email reading: “Although we were not able to attend the last meeting, we’re looking forward to attending the next one.”

LJVMA next meets on Wednesday, April 11 at 3 p.m. at the La Jolla Riford Library, 7555 Draper Ave.

The first La Jolla Woman’s Club “Women in Leadership” speaker of 2018 is Dr. Margaret Leinen, UC San Diego vice chancellor for Marine Sciences, director of Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and dean of the School of Marine Sciences. She will discuss her extensive national and international experience in ocean science, global climate and environmental issues, federal research administration, and non-profit startups at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, March 29 at La Jolla Woman’s Club, 7791 Draper Ave. Free, cash bar. RSVP: (858) 454-2354. jbengis@aol.com

Viking robotics team makes semi-finals

The La Jolla High’s Viking robotics team competed at the 12th annual San Diego Regional FIRST Robotics Competition held at the Del Mar Arena the weekend of March 10-11, reaching the semi-final round of robot-on-robot battles and placing third overall in a robotic alliance with Kearny High School and Valley Christian High School of San Jose.

Over a six-week build season and with a budget of $4,000, the 20-member Vikings team built a robot they called Veto out of circuit boards, aluminum and steel that can navigate a playing field of obstacles at up to 8 mph, lift and throw milk crates at targets ranging from ground level to 7 feet high, and operate both autonomously and via remote control.

The teams competed in matches of three-on-three, racing to place milk crates stationed throughout the hockey-rink sized playing field onto platforms as quickly as possible. Learn more at ljrobotics.org

Shores Association meeting rescheduled for March 29

The next La Jolla Shores Association meeting has been rescheduled due to venue availability. The next LJSA meeting (and ballot counting for its annual election) is 6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 29 at Martin Johnson House on the Scripps Institution of Oceanography campus, 8840 Biological Grade. lajollashoresassociation.org

City to investigate Westbourne Street traffic calming

The City of San Diego has committed to investigating traffic calming on Westbourne Street, following at least one incident of a pedestrian being hit by a car. The street connects La Jolla High School to WindanSea beach, and residents have oft complained of speedy drivers. A petition has circulated amongst residents to install speed humps (which are more gradual than speed bumps), which was submitted to the City in early February. However, before moving forward with the petition, the City says an evaluation needs to be done to determine if this location qualifies for any traffic calming devices, which usually takes around 90 days to complete.

UC San Diego to host mobile blood drive

UC San Diego and the San Diego Blood Bank are conducting a blood drive 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, April 2-4. Look for the Bloodmobile parked on Library Walk. Donors must be 17 or older (16 with parental consent), at least 114 pounds and in good health. An adequate meal and “plenty of fluids” are recommended beforehand. Appointments are recommended but walk-ins are welcome. Visit SanDiegoBloodBank.org or call (619) 469-7322 for more details.

Time for your second Hep A shot?

The heptatitis A vaccine is delivered most effectively in a series of two injections. So, if you were among the San Diego residents inoculated against the recent outbreak before mid-September 2017, you could be due for a second shot now to assure long-term protection.

Although the first dose of the vaccine is considered to be around 95 percent effective, that protection will eventually begin to decrease, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and a second shot boosts immunity for between 20 and 40 years. During the past 12 months, more than 127,000 San Diego adults have been vaccinated as part of a sweeping effort to bring the local hepatitis A outbreak under control. Hepatitis A vaccine is recommended as a two-dose series, with the second dose to be given a minimum of six months after the first dose.

Regardless of where you were vaccinated — whether from a County-sponsored vaccination event, your regular health care provider or pharmacy, or healthcare volunteers — you can receive the second dose from any of those providers. People may also go to a Public Health Center and request the second dose. To find a Public Health Center or Community Health Center close to you, call 2-1-1.

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